Pelargonium plant named ‘Fistansal’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Pelargonium  particularly characterized by bi-colored, salmon-pink and nearly white, semi-double flowers, medium-sized inflorescences on reddish peduncles, dark-green, relatively small leaves with medium zonation, a moderately vigorous growth habit and a medium to tall, rounded and moderately tight plant habit and an early to mid-season and floriferous flowering response, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Fistansal’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Fistansal’. The new cultivar is aproduct of a planned breeding program which had the objective ofcreating new varieties having pink flowers, good flower color stability,medium-green foliage and vigorous growth. ‘Fistansal’ was discovered asa seedling resulting from a cross between the proprietary female parent‘K93-401-15’ (unpatented), a pelargonium having light-salmon,semi-double flowers and the proprietary male parent ‘K93-484-4’(unpatented), a pelargonium having single-type, light-salmon flowers. Asingle plant selection was chosen for further evaluation and for asexualpropagation in 2003.

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany and has beenasexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, and Hillscheid, Germany over a 3- to 4-year period.‘Fistansal’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions, thus the phenotype may vary significantly with variations inthe environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.‘Fistansal’ has been found to retain its distinctive characteristicsthrough successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Germany onApr. 25, 2006 and in Canada on Apr. 26, 2006.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Hillscheid, Germany.

-   -   1. Bi-colored, salmon-pink and nearly white, semi-double        flowers;    -   2. Medium-sized inflorescences on reddish peduncles;    -   3. Dark-green and relatively small leaves with medium zonation;    -   4. A moderately vigorous growth habit and a medium to tall plant        habit;    -   5. A rounded and moderately tight plant habit; and    -   6. An early to mid-season and floriferous flowering response.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new pelargonium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant; the colors shown areas true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures. The photograph is of an un-pinched plant about 14-weeks-oldand grown from rooted cuttings in a 14-cm pot under greenhouseconditions which approximate those generally used in commercialpractice.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Fistansal’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on 10-week-old,un-pinched plants in 12-cm pots in a greenhouse in mid-May 2006. Thecolor readings were determined under natural light in mid-May fromflowers grown in a greenhouse. Color references are to the R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Pelargonium×hortorum.        -   Common name.—Zonal geranium.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘K93-401-15’ a proprietary (unpatented)            pelargonium having light-salmon, semi-double flowers.        -   Male parent.—‘K93-484-4’ a proprietary (unpatented)            pelargonium having light-salmon, single-type flowers.-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Shrub, self-branching, rounded shape.        -   Branching habit.—5.2 branches per plant.        -   Height.—11.1 cm for a 10-week-old plant (measured from base            of stem to the tips of the branches, excluding the            inflorescences).        -   Width.—21.9 cm for a 10-week old plant.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—For the spring            flowering response in Hillscheid, Germany in 2006, after 7            weeks from the planting of rooted cuttings, 50% of plants            were flowering with at least one open flower.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Plants continuously flower; a            flower count in mid-September of 2006 in Hillscheid, Germany            indicated about 15-20 inflorescences per plant.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; opposite at flowering stems.        -   Color, immature leaf.—Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower            surface: RHS 138A.        -   Color, mature leaf.—General: Dark-green. Upper surface: RHS            137A. Lower surface: RHS 138A.        -   Length.—4.5 cm to 5.0 cm.        -   Width.—7.5 cm.        -   Zonation color.—RHS 200A (dark brown) with medium            distinctness.        -   Zonation diameter.—Inner diameter of the ring is 3.5 cm and            the band or belt of zonation is about 1.0 cm wide.        -   Shape.—Round to kidney-shaped with nearly no lobes and the            gap between lowest lobes is mostly closed or even slightly            overlapping.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Bi-crenate and slightly wavy.        -   Texture.—Upper surface is dull and velvety.-   Petioles:    -   -   Length.—4.0 cm to 6.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144B (light-green).        -   Texture.—Covered with fine pubescence.-   Stems:    -   -   Length.—5.0 cm to 9.0 cm.        -   Stem diameter.—0.5 cm to 0.7 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.0 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Stem diameter.—0.6 cm to 0.7 cm at middle portion.        -   Color.—Mainly RHS 143B (green) and partly infused with RHS            179B (reddish) anthocyanin.        -   Texture.—Appear smooth, yet covered with very short            pubescence.-   Flower buds (just before petals unfold):    -   -   Length.—1.8 cm.        -   Width.—1.0 cm to 1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Color of sepals.—RHS 143A to RHS 143B (light-green).        -   Color of petals.—RHS 49C (pale pink).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—An umbel composed of about 40 to 60 flowers and buds.        -   Umbel diameter.—9.7 cm.        -   Umbel depth (height).—4.5 cm to 5.0 cm.        -   Umbel shape.—Nearly semi-spherical.        -   Lastingness of the umbel on the plant.—About 16 to 18 days.        -   Peduncle.—Length: 13.7 cm. Diameter: 0.4 cm to 0.6 cm.            Texture: Pubescent with dense, short glandular hair. Color:            Mainly RHS 166A (brownish).        -   Pedicel.—Length: 2.5 cm. Diameter: 0.15 cm. Texture:            Pubescent with very short glandular hair. Color: RHS 144A            and RHS 138A at the base; the upper portion is infused with            RHS 178A anthocyanin.-   Corolla:    -   -   Diameter.—4.7 cm.        -   Depth.—1.3 cm to 1.7 cm.        -   Form.—Semi-double.        -   Shape.—Irregular cup-shape.        -   Color (overall).—In general, salmon-pink with lighter nearly            white margin.        -   Number of petals.—7 to 10.        -   Petaloids.—Number: 0 to 2. Shape: Variable; shorter and            narrower than the petals and often folded or twisted. Color:            RHS 50C or RHS 49A.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers on the plant.—6 to 8 days            at 18° C.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Petals:    -   -   Upper petals.—Length: 2.5 cm. Width: 1.7 cm to 1.9 cm.            Color: Upper surface: RHS 50D or RHS 49D to nearly white at            the margin. Basal part: RHS 41C to RHS 41D. Lower surface:            RHS 49A to RHS 56D. Markings: Very weak RHS 54A (pink)            stripes.        -   Lower petals.—Length: 2.1 cm to 2.3 cm. Width: 1.8 cm to            1.9 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 50D or 49D to nearly white            at the margin. Basal part: RHS 43C to RHS 43D. Lower            surface: From RHS 49A to RHS 56D, somewhat variable.            Markings: Absent.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded but occasionally retuse.        -   Base.—Broadly acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Smooth and slightly glossy.-   Sepals:    -   -   Number.—5.        -   Length.—1.0 cm to 1.1 cm.        -   Width.—0.4 cm for the largest, upper sepal and 0.2 cm to 0.3            cm for the other sepals.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Short pubescence.        -   Color.—Upper (outer) surface: RHS 143A (green) and the base            is RHS 179A (red-purple). Lower (inner) surface: RHS 143B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Number of anthers: Most often 5. Filament color:            Mainly RHS 155D (white) to RHS 43D at the tip. Filament            length: 0.7 cm. Pollen color: RHS 28A (orange). Pollen            amount: Moderate (typical).        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: 1. Pistil length: 0.8 cm to            0.9 cm. Stigma color: RHS 43C. Stigma shape: 5 to 6 lobed.            Style color: RHS 43C. Style length: 0.6 to 0.7 cm. Style            shape: Filiform (filament-like) with the lobes of the stigma            at right angles.-   Fruit/seed set: No seed set observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: No special observations made; average    susceptibility or tolerance (not resistant to diseases and pests    common to the species).

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Fistansal’ differs from the female parent ‘K93-401-15’ (unpatented) inthat ‘Fistansal’ has a stronger zonation on the leaves, develops morebranches and has a more evenly rounded plant habit than ‘K93-401-15’.

‘Fistansal’ differs from the male (pollen) parent ‘K93-484-4’(unpatented) in that ‘Fistansal’ has semi-double flowers (more than 5petals), while ‘K93-484-4’ has single-type flowers (only 5 petals).Additionally, ‘Fistansal’ grows more vigorously and develops more umbels(inflorescences) than ‘K93-484-4’.

‘Fistansal’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Fisrolisa’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 13,193) in that ‘Fistansal’ has narrower petals and smallerinflorescences than ‘Fisrolisa’. Additionally, ‘Fistansal’ hasdark-green leaves, while ‘Fisrolisa’ has medium-green leaves.

‘Fistansal’ differs from the commercial comparison variety ‘Fisvita’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,011) in that ‘Fistansal’ has dark-green foliage,while ‘Fisvita’ has medium-green foliage. Additionally, ‘Fistansal’ hasa slightly deeper salmon flower color (in the middle part of the flower)than ‘Fisvita’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant as shown anddescribed herein.